'BSY to lay foundation for five IT parks next month'

Bengaluru, Oct 22: To attract investment in Tier II cities, the State Government has decided to establish information technology (IT) parks in Shimoga, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Mysore, Mangalore and Hubli-Dharwad.

It has also decided to set up an IT park on 27 acres of land near Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will the lay foundation stone for IT parks in Shimoga, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Mangalore and Hubli-Dharwad in November and in Mysore and Bangalore in December.

Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology Katta Subramanya Naidu told presspersons here on Tuesday that Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) would construct the parks at a cost ranging from Rs. 20 crore to Rs. 25 crore in the next 20 months. The park at Devanahalli would be developed on public-private partnership by Jain Heights at an estimated cost of Rs. 80 crore.

The park in Hubli-Dharwad would come up on 50 acres of land. More space in IT parks would be given to small and medium enterprises. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board would acquire land, he said.

To provide one-stop solution to companies, the Government would set up an IT/BT authority soon, he said.